Reviews by the Reference Department of the Bristol Public Library, Bristol, Virginia/Tennessee.

Monday, May 2, 2016

Remembrance by Meg Cabot

Reviewed by Christy H.

In the early 2000s, Meg Cabot
had a big hit with her Princess Diaries series. But at the time she was also
writing several other young adult series including a couple under the pseudonym
Jenny Carroll. These two series, 1-800-Where-R-You
and The Mediator, were my personal
favorites but they seemed to fall by the wayside for Princess Mia’s adventures.

So much to my surprise, and
twelve years after the last installment, Cabot has released a new book in the Mediator series for adult readers. A
quick primer: Suze was a teenager who had the ability to see and speak to
ghosts – also known as a mediator. She used this gift to help the ghosts find
closure and move on to the other side. It was a pretty straight forward job
until her family moved into a new house, and she met a cute and charming ghost
named Jesse de Silva. And promptly fell in love with him. Remembrance picks
up with an adult Suze Simon navigating life after college graduation and planning
her upcoming wedding to the no longer dead Jesse (long story). Oh, and she can
still see dead people.

As if planning a wedding,
searching for gainful employment, and helping ghosts find eternal peace isn’t
stressful enough, Suze now has to deal with her former classmate and fellow
mediator Paul Slater forcing his way back into her life. Paul has bought Suze’s
former family home – the place where Suze and Jesse met for the first time. Paul
threatens to have it demolished which he insists will bring paranormal havoc to
Suze and Jesse’s happy relationship. Destroying
a ghost’s former resting place is apparently a no-no, even if said ghost is
alive again. Paul, however, will resist bulldozing the house if Suze agrees to
a date – one that includes physical intimacy– so he can prove that he’s no
longer the aggressive, overbearing boy he was in high school. Makes sense.

Despite the synopsis, not a
whole lot happens in this book. Well, I suppose it does but the interesting
parts don’t take place until more than half way in. Suze sees a ghost then
talks about it (and her past) on the phone. A lot. I didn’t really mind Suze’s
clunky exposition at first; it had been so long a little refresher was fine.
But then she started explaining things that we had already read about, and it
grew tedious. It was just extra padding because there is no reason this book
should be as long as it is.

And on a completely unrelated
note, why does Suze constantly correct people over the relationship with her
stepbrothers and nieces? (“He’s my stepbrother.
Those are my stepnieces.”) It was
just so odd to me; especially to say it in front of three little girls who Suze
supposedly adores. (Hearing my favorite aunt constantly correct people over
that wouldn’t make me feel so good.) Even her stepbrother’s wife corrects him when he refers to Suze as his
sister. I honestly had to re-read that line because it was so rude and petty. It’s
not as if they hate each other (they all get along really well) so it was
bizarre.

Over all, it was just ok. It
was pretty slow, and grown up Suze still acted like teenage Suze. I didn’t hate
it, but most of my goodwill is nostalgia love. I do wonder if I went back and
read the other books I loved so much – would I be disappointed in them too? Or
has Meg Cabot’s writing become halfhearted? Maybe both. If she continues to
write Mediator books, I’d be willing
to give it another shot. I just hope she puts a little more life in this series,
no pun intended.

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The BPL Bookblog reviewers include:
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